Written Answers Wednesday 29 July 2009

Scottish Executive

Air Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the proposed introduction of Administered Incentive Pricing will have on the (a) cost of flights from smaller airports, (b) cost of flights within the Highlands and Islands and (c) future viability of small airports.

Stewart Stevenson: Administered Incentive Pricing (AIP) for the use of spectrum by the aeronautical sector would provide airports with a significant cost that they would either have to absorb or pass on to users. For the Highlands and Islands this could translate into a potential requirement of additional funding support by the Scottish Government or increased costs to airlines and ultimately to passengers. This could threaten the viability of some air services. We will be considering Ofcom’s next consultation on the issue.

Apprenticeships

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce minimum training rates for apprentices given that apprentices in England will benefit from a minimum rate of £95 per week from August 2009.

Fiona Hyslop: Apprentices are currently exempt from national minimum wage regulations, which is a reserved matter. The Scottish Government supports the removal of that exemption and has made representations to this effect.

  The UK Government has recently announced that the Low Pay Commission will be considering a national minimum wage for apprentices as part of its 2010 remit.

  In the meantime the Scottish Government has asked Skills Development Scotland to ensure that the modern apprenticeship programme rules clearly encourage employers in Scotland to pay minimum wage rates to their apprentices.

Apprenticeships

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the resolution of the Parliament on motion S3M-4187 on 21 May 2009 and the publication of Preparing for Recovery: Update on the Scottish Economic Recovery Programme  on 15 June 2009, how it intends to implement the extra 7,800 apprenticeship places and whether a full plan outlining how this will be achieved will be published.

Fiona Hyslop: Three thousand, eight hundred and forty of the additional 7,800 apprenticeship places have been announced. This includes:

  

 1,000 - for Glasgow City Council


 1,250 - Health and Social Care Apprenticeships


 760 - for the hospitality and tourism sector


 410 - for the food and drink sector


 50 - Creative Apprenticeships


 100 - Life Science Apprenticeships


 100 - Home Energy and Efficiency Apprenticeships


 170 - Early Years Apprenticeships



  Further announcements on the remaining places will be made soon.

Bridges

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the condition is of the anchorages of the Forth Road Bridge.

Stewart Stevenson: Responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the Forth Road Bridge, including the condition of the anchorages, is a matter for the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA).

Census

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide family history societies with an index of records in digital format when the 1911 census is released.

John Swinney: Yes. We plan to release the personal details from the 1911 census in spring 2011, 100 years after the census was taken. Family historians, including family history societies, will be able to access the digital index of people recorded in the census through the family history website:

  www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk.

Concessionary Travel

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what further discussions have taken place regarding possible changes in the eligibility criteria and terms of operation of the Scotland-wide free bus travel scheme for older and disabled people since the publication of its review.

Stewart Stevenson: There have been no further discussions to date regarding possible changes to the eligibility criteria. As recommended by the review, an independent led examination will look at improving the evidence for setting the reimbursement rate payable to bus operators. We are currently in the process of commissioning this work.

Economy

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the European Commission seeking continuation of the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation (MV-BER 1400/2002/EC) or a similar provision designed to maintain an open and competitive after-sales and repair market for motor vehicles in light of the potential impact on jobs in Scotland.

Jim Mather: Competition policy is a reserved matter. Scottish Government officials have been in discussion with officials of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills about this matter. The UK Government has made several representations to the European Commission about the importance of an open and competitive after-sales and repair market for motor vehicles and specifically has expressed concerns about access to information, particularly technical information, and parts for the independent aftermarket. The UK and other EU member states therefore expect that the European Commission will retain key elements from the existing Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation.

Economy

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated value was to Scotland’s economy of the co-operative sector at the end of 2008-09.

Jim Mather: The estimated value of the co-operative sector to Scotland’s economy is not held centrally. However, turnover statistics by legal status for VAT and/or PAYE registered businesses are published annually within the Scottish Government publication Scottish Corporate Sector Statistics . The following table presents turnover statistics by legal status for Scotland in March 2008. The legal status of non-profit making bodies and mutual associations will capture many co-operatives but it will also capture other enterprise types such as charities and community organisations.

  Turnover for Registered Enterprises by Legal Status, Scotland, March 2008

  

 Legal Status
 Turnover (£million)
 Percentage of Total Turnover


 Companies
 194,638
 81.5%


 Sole Proprietors
 7,697
 3.2%


 Partnerships
 10,245
 4.3%


 Public Corporation/Nationalised Body
 3,496
 1.5%


 Central and Local Government
 18,194
 7.6%


 Non-profit making bodies and mutual associations
 4,525
 1.9%


 Total
 238,795
 100.0%



  Source: Scottish Corporate Sector Statistics 2008.

  Notes:

  1. Turnover data for financial intermediation enterprises are not available. Totals exclude the turnover of such enterprises.

  2. Totals may not equal the sum of the constituent parts due to rounding.

  The Scottish Government recently published the latest estimates for the turnover of the social economy. Social economy turnover captures the economic activity of the third sector, which embraces voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises and some mutuals and co-operatives. The latest turnover estimate for 2008 (and a back series to 2004) is available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Business/SocEconomy.

Employment

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it can offer the 140 employees of Diageo in Port Dundas in Glasgow and the 900 employees Scotland-wide in light of the announcement by Diageo that they are to be made redundant.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it was advised that Diageo was proposing to make large-scale redundancies at Port Dundas, Glasgow.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when Scottish Enterprise was advised that Diageo proposed to make large-scale redundancies at Port Dundas in Glasgow.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what talks have taken place with Diageo concerning the proposed closure of its distillery and cooperage in Port Dundas, Glasgow.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what has been achieved as a result of any discussion it has had with Diageo concerning the proposed closure of its Port Dundas distillery and bottling plant.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what has been achieved as a result of any discussion between Scottish Enterprise and Diageo concerning the proposed closure of its facilities at Port Dundas.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise were informed by Diageo on 30 June 2009 that there would be an announcement the next day. However, neither the Scottish Government nor Scottish Enterprise was informed of the nature and extent of Diageo’s intentions until after it had informed its workforce on 1 July 2009.

  A number of meetings have taken place involving ministers, the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise officials with Diageo since the announcement around all of the company’s proposals. As part of our engagement, not only with Diageo but other partners such as trade unions and Glasgow City Council, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth visited the Port Dundas facility on 16 July 2009.

  Our focus at the moment is on retaining jobs in Scotland. We are working with other partners such as East Ayrshire Council, the trade unions, Glasgow City Council and the local MSPs and MPs to produce alternative propositions to reverse the Diageo decision and safeguard jobs in Glasgow and Ayrshire. As a result of our meetings, Diageo has assured us that its consultation will be genuine. It has committed to ministers that it will give serious consideration to the alternative propositions that are being independently produced.

  However, should job losses take place, the Scottish Government will, through Skills Development Scotland, coordinate local response teams under the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative, to provide tailored help and support for those workers affected. PACE aims to work with employers and employee representatives to minimise job losses but where redundancies do occur partners take action to coordinate activities to support people back into employment or training as quickly as possible.

Employment

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the resolution of the Parliament on motion S3M-4187 on 21 May 2009 and the publication of Preparing for Recovery: Update on the Scottish Economic Recovery Programme on 15 June 2009, how it intends to implement the full 75,000 training places and whether a full plan outlining how this will be achieved will be published.

Fiona Hyslop: The 75,000 people expected to gain or sustain employment opportunities through training and skills development represents the total number of beneficiaries detailed by the project sponsors of the 78 European social funding projects announced in April 2009. The implementation of these opportunities rests with those leading the projects.

Energy

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the potential application to Scotland’s future energy and power needs of the Stirling engine invented by the Reverend Robert Stirling.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has not made such an assessment. However, we are aware of a resurgence of interest worldwide in developing the Stirling engine for a diverse range of energy applications. The Scottish Government and the enterprise agencies would welcome investigation of the potential role of the Stirling engine in technologies which could help achieve our vision for a sustainable, low carbon society.

Energy

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the potential use of LED lighting as an alternative to compact fluorescent lights.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has made no formal assessment of the potential use of light emitting diode (LED) lighting as an alternative to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), although current industry reports indicate that compared with CFLs, LEDs are a very energy efficient lighting technology, even if the quality of light can be poorer. We have however ensured that a minimum standard for the energy efficiency of lighting will be met whenever building owners elect to do new building work through Scottish building regulations. Both LED and compact fluorescents can be used to achieve compliance.

  We will continue to work closely with our colleagues at Westminster over the implementation in the UK of the European Ecodesign of Energy Using Products Directive (EuP) which has already seen the phasing out of inefficient incandescent lighting.

  We are also keenly awaiting the results of the LED field trials being carried out by the Energy Saving Trust and funded by DEFRA’s Environmental Transformation Fund.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the local community has been given in respect of the management of the no-take zone in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) has been given in respect of the management of the no-take zone in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran.

Richard Lochhead: The local community has input into the management of the no-take zone in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran through the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST). COAST is a member of the Lamlash Bay Implementation Group and the Lamlash Bay Working Group. These two groups are concerned with taking forward the management of the no-take zone in Lamlash Bay.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive which inshore fisheries group has responsibility for the area covered by the no-take zone in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran and whether the local community or the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) is a member of, or is represented on, that group.

Richard Lochhead: The newly formed Clyde Inshore Fishery Group has responsibility for the area covered by the no-take zone. Membership of an inshore fishery group (IFG) is open to commercial fishermen who operate in the IFG area. COAST has the ability to be involved in the IFG through participation in the advisory group to the IFG.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) statutory and (b) non-statutory powers inshore fisheries groups have.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive who manages Scotland’s Inshore Fisheries Groups.

Richard Lochhead: Inshore fisheries groups aim to improve the management of Scotland’s inshore fisheries and to give commercial inshore fishermen a strong voice in wider marine management developments. They have been established by Scottish ministers on a non-statutory basis to produce a fisheries management plan and propose management measures for their areas for consideration by Scottish ministers.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations or individuals were involved in the conception and establishment of Scotland’s inshore fisheries groups.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group (SIFAG) was involved in the conception and establishment of Scotland’s inshore fisheries groups. SIFAG was established in 1999. The group comprises a range of industry representatives, statutory bodies (SFPA, SNH, FRS), Seafish and Environment Link.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations or individuals were consulted prior to the conception and establishment of Scotland’s inshore fisheries groups and in what way.

Richard Lochhead: Stakeholders were consulted through the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group. In 2007, a series of open public meetings were held around Scotland to enable the public to put forward their views.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the membership is of each inshore fisheries group.

Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22586 on 8 May 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) public and community and (b) non-governmental organisation (NGO) representation there is on each inshore fisheries group.

Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22586 on 8 May 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any organisations or individuals have been excluded from becoming members of any inshore fisheries group.

Richard Lochhead: No organisations or individuals have been excluded from becoming members of any inshore fisheries group.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the conservation-related aims and duties are of inshore fisheries groups.

Richard Lochhead: Inshore fisheries groups are tasked with the establishment of management plans for the fisheries in their respective areas. These plans must accord with wider national strategic biological, environmental, economic, social and governance objectives. For instance, the biological objective is to conserve, enhance and restore commercial fish stocks in the inshore and its supporting ecosystem. The environmental objective is to maintain and restore the quality of the inshore marine environment for fisheries and for wildlife.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how inshore fisheries groups balance any issues of conflict between the conservation and exploitation of fish stocks; what guidance groups have been given to assist them in this, and from whom.

Richard Lochhead: The first three inshore fisheries groups have only recently been formed and are intended to operate as a pilot. No guidance has been issued about how they might best contribute to sustainable economic growth through the conservation and exploitation of fish stocks.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive which inshore fisheries groups have produced and published management proposals.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects all inshore fisheries groups to have produced and published management proposals.

Richard Lochhead: No inshore fisheries group has yet produced and published management proposals to date. We would expect an inshore fishery group to have produced and published its management proposals within approximately 12 months of its establishment.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a public right to fish in Scotland and, if so, (a) on what legal and historical basis it was established and (b) who has ownership of it.

Richard Lochhead: Subject to certain restrictions and exceptions, the public has a right to fish in Scotland. The right to fish is provided for in the Fisheries Act 1705, which empowered Scottish subjects to "take buy and cure herring and white fish in all sundry and seas, channels, bays, firths, lochs, rivers etc. of this her Majesties ancient Kingdom and Islands thereto belonging wheresoever herring or white fish are or may be taken...".

  In general, the right extends only to fishing in the sea, foreshore, tidal lochs and the tidal (public) parts of rivers. The right extends to fishing for white fish, not salmon (which are vested in the Crown), and shellfish (but not mussels and native oysters, in respect of which the Crown retains the right to gather). The right may only be exercised where the public has lawful access to the fishings.

  The right exists where not excluded or restricted by statute. For example, the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984 enables the Scottish ministers to regulate inshore fishing, and in particular to prohibit sea fishing in areas specified in an order made under that act. The Scottish ministers recently made such an order (the Inshore Fishing (Prohibition on Fishing) (Lamlash Bay) (Scotland) Order 2008) prohibiting all fishing for sea fish in the area specified in the order thereby restricting the public right to fish.

  The right to fish is a creature of statute, to be enjoyed by those who wish to engage in fishing. The right does not confer ownership of the waters over which it may be exercised to those who exercise the right - it is vested in those to whom the right applies to the extent permitted by law. This is analogous to the rights of responsible access, the so-called "right to roam", created under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. That right enables those who wish to do so to access land in a responsible fashion. The right does not confer ownership of the land over which it is exercised to those who exercise it.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive who has ownership of the fish in (a) Scotland’s inshore waters, (b) Scotland’s offshore waters and (c) international waters.

Richard Lochhead: Ownership of fish in inshore waters is mixed. Insofar as fish, including salmon, are on the foreshore, or comprise mussels or native oysters, they are vested in the Crown. Unless otherwise regulated under statute, wild salmon and white fish are res nullius , that is ownerless until they are caught, when they become the property of the captor. If the captor has no right or permission to fish, or does so contrary to law, the fish are forfeit.

  In offshore and international waters, all fish, including shellfish, are res nullius, until lawfully caught, when they become the property of the captor.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what influence the public has in respect of the management, conservation and exploitation of fish stocks held in Scotland’s waters.

Richard Lochhead: Within the current framework of international fisheries governance, the Scottish Government aims to promote the sustainable management, conservation and exploitation of fish stocks in Scottish and international waters. Scottish ministers are subject to normal democratic scrutiny on behalf of all of the people of Scotland. We welcome the very substantial contribution, both supportive and critical, made by a wide range of stakeholders and members of the public on fisheries and marine policy development.

Higher Education

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of (a) mature students and (b) students under the age of 25 applied for undergraduate discretionary funds in the last year for which information is available.

Fiona Hyslop: The information requested is not held centrally.

  The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) does not collect details of the ages of students who have applied for and are assisted through the undergraduate discretionary fund.

Higher Education

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students applied for discretionary funds in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2007-08.

Fiona Hyslop: The latest academic year for which information on applications for assistance from the higher education discretionary and childcare funds is available is 2007-08. This information is shown in the following table and is provided by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). Data for 2008-09 is expected in early 2010.

  As details identifying the individual students applying to these funds are not held centrally, there is a degree of overlap in the student numbers. This is because students can receive help from both the childcare fund and the discretionary fund in the same academic year. Students are also able to receive help more than once from the same fund. The table therefore shows the number of applications for assistance from the discretionary funds in academic year 2007-08 rather than the number of students.

  Applications for Assistance Through the Higher Education Discretionary and Childcare Funds, Academic Year 2007-08

  

 
 Number of Applications for Assistance


 Higher Education Discretionary Funds
 17,850


 Higher Education Childcare Funds
 1,685



  Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS), academic year 2007-08.

  Notes:

  1. "Applications for assistance" have been rounded to the nearest five.

  2. Applications are made direct to each institution and it is up to them whether assistance is granted or not.

Housing

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the intended match-funding of £15 million for the Home Insulation Scheme has been secured and from which sources.

Alex Neil: Complementary investment under the Home Insulation Scheme, which will be in addition to the £15 million allocated by the Scottish Government, will be delivered mainly from Carbon Emissions Reduction Target activity and owner contributions. The amount of investment contributed from these sources will depend on the uptake of measures under the first phase of the scheme which will cover at least 90,000 homes. Complementary investment will also be provided from local councils and other local partners in the selected areas. Complementary investment from some of the local councils selected for the first phase of the Home Insulation Scheme is subject to final confirmation and approval.

NHS Hospitals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it was informed of the maggot infestation at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government was informed of the maggot infestation on Thursday 2 July.

NHS Hospitals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to address the maggot infestation at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: Pest control services worked along with NHS Grampian estates staff to identify the problem. The infestation appeared to emanate from outside the theatre area. External pipes have been removed and cleaned, and pesticide treatment has been undertaken in external and internal roof areas. Remedial repairs, where required, have been made to external facia. Ceiling tiles in theatre areas were removed, areas checked and tiles resealed. All areas were cleaned as set out in infection control guidance.

NHS Hospitals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how (a) long wards were closed for and (b) many medical procedures were cancelled due to the maggot infestation at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: No wards were closed because of the infestation. Twelve procedures were postponed.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken following the Highlands and Islands Enterprise investigation into contracts awarded to its chairman’s company, Rocket Science.

Jim Mather: Actions have been taken by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) as this was an operational matter for that organisation to deal with. I will ask the HIE chief executive to write to you in this regard.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many contracts were awarded by non-departmental public bodies (NDPB) to their board members, including chairmen, and what the value was of these contracts in each of the last 10 years.

John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) investigation into contracts awarded to its chairman’s company, Rocket Science, whether it will review guidance and processes for the awarding of non-departmental public body (NDPB) contracts to consultants and other organisations.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government reviewed procedures for the procurement of consultancy in 2008 and the Scottish Procurement Directorate published revised guidance on the use of consultants on its website on 24 April 2009. This guidance applies to the Scottish Government, however NDPBs are also encouraged to adopt the guidance.

Nursing

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it offers nurses diagnosed with arthritis as a result of duties undertaken while working for NHSScotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: The management of health issues at work, which will include nurses diagnosed with arthritis, is a matter of delegated authority for NHS boards.

  The Scottish Government, through the Partnership Information Network (PIN) policies, provides the minimum standard NHS Scotland boards must adhere to when providing support for staff with health issues.

  The "Managing Health at Work" PIN policy requires boards to make every reasonable effort to provide workplace adjustments for a member of staff who is fit for work but who cannot perform their full range of duties.

  If a member of staff is unable to work in a particular role due to ill-health or other physical factors, the employing board would be expected to make every reasonable effort to redeploy the member of staff to a post they are able to do.

  All NHS Scotland boards have occupational health and safety services to provide support for staff with work-related health conditions, including therapy, advice and involvement in any workplace adjustment or redeployment process.

Nursing

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many current and former nurses have arthritis.

Nicola Sturgeon: This is a matter for NHS boards. The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

Nursing

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether recent representations have been made to the UK Department for Work and Pensions on behalf of ex-nurses with arthritis to ensure that these individuals benefit from industrial injury rules.

Nicola Sturgeon: No recent representations have been made by the Scottish Government to the UK Department for Work and Pensions on behalf of ex-nurses for arthritis. NHS employees across the UK have access to an injuries benefits scheme.

Nursing

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions or representations it has had with the Royal College of Nursing regarding nurses with arthritis.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government Health Directorates meet regularly with representatives from the Royal College of Nursing to discuss a broad range of topics. There has been no representation or discussion on the specific topic of nursing staff with arthritis.

Opencast Mining

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Mainshill Wood opencast coal mining consent is in compliance with the requirements of Scottish Planning Policy 16: Opencast Coal (SPP16).

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers were satisfied that South Lanarkshire Council had given full cognisance to the requirements of SPP16 in reaching its decision to grant planning permission.

Opencast Mining

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it did not call in the Mainshill Wood opencast coal mining application.

Stewart Stevenson: Having carefully considered the notified application Scottish ministers reached the view that there were no issues of national interest to warrant their intervention

Procurement

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that small local companies in the Highlands and Islands are given the opportunity to tender and benefit from contracts awarded by the public sector.

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to protect and ensure the participation of smaller and medium-sized businesses in public procurement contract tenders.

John Swinney: The government is committed to ensuring that small and medium sized businesses have fair access to public sector contracts in Scotland. In support of this, in April I wrote to heads of procurement and chief executives throughout the Scottish public sector setting out my expectation that they take "six simple steps", http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1265/0080942.pdf , to promote access to public sector contracts for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), social enterprises and third sector bodies.

  In addition, companies can have free access to contract opportunities across the Scottish public sector through the Public Contracts Scotland website www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk.

Procurement

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the effect on small businesses has been of the implementation of the recommendations of John McClelland’s 2006 report, Review of Public Procurement in Scotland .

John Swinney: The public sector currently spends approximately £8 billion on goods, works and services each year. Analysis of spend data from across the public sector shows that for 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 on average 49% of that spend was with small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Data collection will continue and organisations are being encouraged to actively monitor their level of spend with SMEs as part of the government’s "six simple steps" to ensure that SMEs continue to make a significant contribution to the delivery of public services in Scotland and to the supply of goods and works to the Scottish public sector:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Procurement/policy/SMEs.

  Last summer, the government launched Public Contracts Scotland, in response to John McClelland’s recommendation that "an open market environment supported by a single public sector ‘electronic portal’ should be established". Public Contracts Scotland gives suppliers free-of-charge easy access to information on Scottish contract opportunities. Over 30,000 suppliers are now registered, 83% of which are SMEs, and roll out of the portal across the public sector is continuing, with 138 public bodies already using the portal to advertise their contract opportunities.

Procurement

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has of smaller business consortia being formed to participate in public procurement contract tenders and what success any such consortia have had in securing public procurement tenders.

John Swinney: There are no specific indicators which track the formation of, or success of, consortia in securing public procurement tenders. However, public bodies can track the percentage of their spend with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the Scottish Procurement Information hub. Over time, Public Contracts Scotland portal will also allow public sector bodies to track the proportion of their contracts that are awarded to SMEs.

Procurement

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what it has done to facilitate the establishment of small and medium-sized business consortia to ensure the participation of this sector in public procurement contract tenders and whether it considers any such actions to have been a success.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government recognises that the establishment of consortia and other supply chain partnerships can provide a mechanism for small, medium and social enterprises to actively compete for a range of public sector contracts. To facilitate this, the government has produced the following guidance:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/48453/0081532.pdf.

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/15300/enterprising-organisation/Consortia-Guidance.

  The guidance, though specifically written for social enterprise and the third sector, contains general information helpful to any business organisation interested in these business models. The Scottish Government has also commissioned research on actual and perceived barriers to consortia bidding in the business community. This will assess what further support smaller firms might need in this area and help inform future procurement strategies.

  To make accessing public sector business opportunities as open as possible, cross-government events throughout Scotland are encouraging suppliers to register on the website, www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk, for a free contract email alert service; browse the website for large and small opportunities; bid for these opportunities (via consortia and supply chain partnerships where appropriate) and look up contract award information for sub-contract opportunities. To date, over 30,000 business organisations have registered on the website.

Procurement

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has of the economic benefits to Scotland following implementation of the recommendations of John McClelland’s 2006 report, Review of Public Procurement in Scotland , also taking into account local employment and welfare benefit costs and the multiplier effect of local spending.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government is monitoring the proportion of contracts which go to small and medium-sized enterprises, and has asked all public bodies to do the same.

  According to the recently published Audit Scotland report Improving Public Sector Purchasing, implementation of the McClelland report’s recommendations saved around £327 million in 2006-07 and 2007-08. We have no evidence to suggest that local employment, welfare benefits costs or local spending have been adversely affected. Monies saved should be available to public bodies for deployment on other priorities.

Procurement

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of public contracts has been awarded to (a) small and (b) medium size businesses in each year since publication of John McClelland’s 2006 report, Review of Public Procurement in Scotland,  expressed in terms of value.

John Swinney: The Scottish Procurement information hub analyses procurement spending by Scottish public bodies including all local authorities and health boards. According to information on the hub at July 2009, spending with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) since April 2006 in terms of value is as follows:

  The SME spend figures for the last three financial years as at July 2009 are as follows:

  

 Financial Year
 Total Percentage of Spend With SMEs
 Small-Sized Enterprises
 Medium-Sized Enterprises


2005-06:Spend from 121 organisations
 49%
 24%
 25%


2006-07:Spend from 166 organisations
 49%
 23%
 26%


2007-08:Spend from 77 organisations
 49%
 23%
 26%

Rail Network

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it has had with the UK Government regarding high speed rail links, setting out the date and location of meetings and the topics discussed.

Stewart Stevenson: There have been two meetings with the UK Government on high speed rail. The first was in Edinburgh on 28 May 2008, to discuss cross border rail links, including opportunities for high speed rail.

  The second meeting also took place in Edinburgh on 23 April 2009, in which I continued to press the case for a high speed rail connection between Scotland, London and Europe.

  Transport Scotland officials have also met with the UK Government company, High Speed 2, on two occasions (once in London and once in Glasgow with stakeholders present). Dialogue will continue over the coming months as the case for high speed rail is developed.

Rail Network

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the nationalisation of the east coast main line will affect Scottish rail services and, if so, in what ways.

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the nationalisation of the east coast main line and when these discussions took place.

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is supportive of the UK Government’s nationalisation of the east coast main line.

Stewart Stevenson: The terms of the east coast franchise means that the Department for Transport (DfT) has the right to step in as "operator of last resort" should a franchisee, such as National Express East Coast, experience financial difficulties. This is a temporary measure while DfT prepares for the refranchising of the east cost main line passenger service.

  I understand that passenger services on the east coast main line will continue to operate according to the published National Express East Coast timetable, and with no effect on service provision or ticketing.

  Since rail was devolved to Scotland in 1999, Scottish ministers have a legal obligation to provide non-binding advice to DfT in respect of cross border passenger services.

  Although no discussions have taken place as yet, I can assure you that the Scottish Government will be involved in future negotiations for a new east coast franchise, which DfT will be tendering by the end of 2010.

Scottish Government Ministers

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25232 by Richard Lochhead on 13 July 2009, what consideration ministers must give to the interests of any individuals who may be adversely affected by any decision taken and what administrative and other obligations they have towards such individuals when deciding what they consider to be the public interest.

Richard Lochhead: Ministers are required to take account of all relevant circumstances, including the impact on all those individuals and businesses who may be affected, when policy is being determined.

Single Outcome Agreements

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how single outcome agreements will be monitored and by whom.

John Swinney: Councils and their community planning partners will monitor the effectiveness of services and how well placed they are to support the outcomes they have agreed in their single outcome agreements (SOAs). They will also report to their communities and to the Scottish Government each year on their contribution to the achievement of national and local outcomes highlighted in these SOAs. The first of these reports are due to published in September 2009.

  The Accounts Commission recently consulted on proposals for the next phase of its best value audits of councils. In the short term, the commission expects that local auditors will examine the approach the council and its partners are taking in developing their SOA and monitoring performance against it. These results and evidence from the annual reports will inform risk-based and proportionate decision-making about how and when Audit Scotland and inspection bodies (e.g. HM Inspectorate of Education and the Social Work Inspection Agency) undertake scrutiny within councils.